Dental Anxiety And How To Manage it for the best Experience
It seems that everyone has it - dental anxiety. In my experience as a dentist it is overwhelmingly the most common thing that I see patients struggle with while at the dental office. Many patients relate their bad experience to a moment they had as a child that was traumatic when visiting their childhood dentist. A lot of patients have recorded high blood pressures when they are taken in the office, but the patient is seemingly unaware of the stress they are under. As it turns out, the dental office isn’t a place where people feel comfortable or safe. Luckily, I have seen many patients overcome these challenges as they progress in life and through their individual cases.
With anything scary in life, fears can be rational or irrational. Most fear stems from the inability to predict or control our environment. Specifically in dentistry, fear stems from not knowing our dental conditions or the cost that we can or may incur by going to the dentist. At Elevation Family Dental we strive to help overly anxious patients conquer their fears by 3 commonly used tools: education, control over your environment and by giving options with your treatments.
Let’s take Education first and foremost. We strive to give you the tools necessary to understand your individual situation and what steps you as the owner of your mouth can take to prevent future problems. I am a huge believer in preventative dentistry and early detection and prevention. When you visit our office at Elevation Family Dental you will be able to review your x-rays and conditions with me as your doctor, as well as ask questions and learn new skills and techniques that are available to you. Having a firm footing on what we are discussing and your particular situation gives you the confidence to make appropriate decisions while at the same time removing a lot of your fear. I find that if I take you step by step through a procedure in a show-tell-do fashion, that I alleviate most of your anxiety with just that one step.
Secondly, let’s look at control over one’s environment. If you as a patient cannot make an informed decision and cannot halt a procedure at any moment, then how are you to remain calm? I always reassure my patients that at any time they can select a desired treatment that we as a team feel comfortable with, ask questions at anytime, and most importantly - raise your hand during a procedure that signals you need to take a break. This last step allows you as a patient to control the environment, and it allows you to put your fears behind you while in the dental chair.
Lastly, let’s discuss your ability to choose a treatment tailored to you. Let’s not kid ourselves, being happy rather than anxious with our decisions is the goal. Many dentist don’t give you options nor do they explain well the different procedures available to you. I find that giving you options that you understand and allowing you to select the option that best suites you makes can make all the difference in how we approach a procedure. Reviewing with you the treatment options and what to expect as well as costs can give you control as to how and when you select to move forward with your preferred plan.
Still there might be a little anxiety present when you come to the office - this is a journey. Slow desensitization is my favorite. Most people that frequent my office do not have anxiety. Rather, it is the those that anxiety keeps away from regular visits that struggle the most with dental decay, pain and anxiety. When they finally have to schedule a visit it is overwhelming. I find that most patients quickly overcome their fears after 2-3 visits using the previously mentioned techniques; however, if anxiety still persists and we need extra help I’ve found that anxiety pills or referrals for sedations can be quite helpful - but in most cases unnecessary.
My hope is that if you’re reading this and haven’t been to a dentist in a long time that you give us a chance. My team is professional and you will be treated with respect and appreciation as you sit in the driver’s seat from the time you enter our office until the time you walk out the door. Elevation Family Dental takes pride in the fact that we offer most of our treatment in-house without needing you to transfer care to other doctors unless it is necessary or beneficial to you. Please don’t hesitate to take control of your mouth’s overall health and get your smile back.
